Cadillac is the luxury car division of General Motors, one of the biggest American automotive company. Founded in 1902, the Cadillac is over 100 years old. Its bold and stylish designs from the 60s and 70s have earned it an iconic position. To date, it is known for its experimental designs and technological innovation. That said, there are many facts about Cadillacs that are not known to many people. Let’s go through some little-known facts about Cadillacs.
Fun Facts about Cadillacs
Following are some facts about Cadillacs to enhance your knowledge about the famous American auto manufacturer.
1. Henry Ford Founded Cadillac
Cadillac was founded by the Henry Ford Company in 1902. It is among the oldest car brands in the world. A lesser-known fact about Cadillac is that the company came into existence after Ford separated from his investors owing to a serious dispute.
Ford and his partners were convinced to manufacture and build a new plant concentrating on his designer Leland’s single-cylinder engine. The Cadillac Automobile Company was reborn on August 22, 1902. It is a famous American car brand.
2. Cadillac Car Was Acquired by GM Motors
General Motors purchased the American luxury car brand from Ford in 1909. Right after acquiring Cadillac, GM dedicated the Cadillac production as the company’s prestige and luxury division. The Cadillac line also became Cadillac’s commercial line. Many institutional vehicles including limousines, hearses ambulances among others were produced by the carmaker.
Soon after being acquired by GM, Cadillac climbed the GM’s vehicle hierarchical ladder and ranked itself above classic GM brands including Buick, Oakland, Oldsmobile even Chevrolet.
3. Cadillac’s First Car Model
In 1903, a year after its rebirth Cadillac’s first-ever automobiles known as “The Runabout and Tonneau Models“ were launched at the New York Auto Show. These were horseless carriages with two seats, powered by a single-cylinder engine.
4. Cadillac’s Naming Convention
Among other facts about Cadillacs, the one about its name is lesser-known. The name Cadillac came from Antoine Laumet de la Mothe Cadillac. He was a French soldier and explorer and the founder of Detroit, Michigan.
5. Cadillac Was an Electric Starter Pioneer
All car enthusiasts who own older cars know that cars in those times needed hand-cranking and a lot of muscle work to start. Leland, the co-founder of Cadillac, thought of an innovative electric starter idea. after he lost a family friend who got in an accident while hand-cranking his car.
A decade after the first-ever Cadillac car made its appearance in the New York Auto Show, Leland introduced the first electric starter in 1912 and the idea was affectionately accepted by the auto market. Presently, all cars have electric starters, but Cadillac can definitely be credited as a pioneer.
6. The 1915 Cadillac
Cadillac was an innovative car manufacturer. As Cadillac history has it, by 1915, the carmaker improved its engine standards with the introduction of a 90-degree flathead V8 engine. This engine churned out 70 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque. As a result, the car could speed 65mph— that was faster than many road cars at the time. While this was an impressive feat by Cadillac in the automobile industry during that time period, the carmaker had just begun.
7. Cadillac Came Up With Many Firsts
Cadillac was responsible for introducing many car “firsts” to the world. The auto manufacturer developed the first-ever dual-plane V8 crankshaft in 1918. Then in 1928, Cadillac utilized constant mesh gears in manual transmission. Later on, in 1930, the carmaker came up with the first V16 engine giving car models an output capacity of 165 hp. This was among the most powerful yet quiet engines in those times. The Cadillac advancements from V8, V16, and V12 engine — are what established the car brand’s name globally.
In addition to electric starters and engine advancements, Cadillac also introduced enclosed cabins and electric lights and was among the first car brands to install airbags in its models.
8. Cadillac Came Up With the Fully Enclosed Car
Cadillac manufactured the Model K runabout in 1906. This was basically the first fully covered version of a Cadillac, earlier all models looked like open-air carriages. Again, this was a first as no other car manufacturer of that time produced fully enclosed cars. Cadillac on the other hand started producing several units of fully enclosed cars. These vehicles, though enclosed, offered a great view for riders with their wide windows. The Model K was a two-seater, but Cadillac launched a four-passenger Model M Victoria as well.
9. US Army Used Cadillacs
The US Army Staff chose Cadillac in 1917. The US Army was in search of a dependable vehicle and selected the Cadillac Type 55 Touring Model as their preferred vehicle. The Army tested the Cadillac models exhaustively on the Mexican border. Soon after, 2,350 Cadillac units were sent to France to contribute towards the American Expeditionary Force efforts during World War I.
10. Cadillac Produced Its One-Millionth Car in 47 Years
Another lesser-known fact about Cadillacs is that the carmaker produced its one-millionth car in just 47 years of its first car’s production. The millionth Cadillac car was introduced on November 25, 1949 – this was the Cadillac Coupe de Ville. To this day, the model is popular among Cadillac ardent people. That same year Cadillac also set a new sales record marking 100,000 cars.
11. Cadillac Introduced Several Technical Features
By 1980, Cadillac started introducing several useful technological features in its vehicles. Noteworthy introductions include high technology engines, standard digital air conditioning, and heating, Delco/Bose stereo system options, the trip computer, cassette/stereo system, among others.
Fast forward to the present, the latest Cadillacs come with MagneRide. This is a revolutionary technology with shock-absorbing capabilities. The system comes with a magnetic fluid where an electromagnetic piston slides smoothly. The innovative technology also consists of sensors that adjust the car suspension based on the road’s condition.
12. The US Presidential Limo is a Cadillac
The presidential limousine, called “The Beast” is a Cadillac. The Beast has served previous US presidents including Barack Obama and Donald Trump. Presently, the current US President, Joe Biden travels in the 7.5-tonne Cadillac.
Those were some of the most interesting facts about Cadillacs. If you wish to drive a Cadillac vehicle, explore these used Cadillacs for sale in the UAE.
Stay tuned to UAE’s top auto blog for more on car facts, car maintenance tips and much more.
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